Governor attends funeral for fallen Galt police officer

Monday

Jan 21, 2013 at 3:13 PMJan 21, 2013 at 3:14 PM

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Jerry Brown joined hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the state Monday in honoring a Sacramento-area police officer who was killed in the line of duty last week.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Jerry Brown joined hundreds of law enforcement officers from around the state Monday in honoring a Sacramento-area police officer who was killed in the line of duty last week.

Funeral services were held in Monday for Kevin Tonn, a K-9 unit officer with the Galt Police Department. Tonn, 35, died Tuesday after he was shot while trying to question a potential burglary suspect.

The alleged gunman, Humphrey Kenneth Gascon Jr., 30, turned out not to have been involved in the duplex burglary, but Sacramento County authorities said he turned his gun on himself after slaying Tonn and shooting at another officer. A motive hasn't been disclosed.

Galt Police Chief William Bowen, who required a member of department to remain with his fallen officer even after Tonn's body was taken to the coroner, addressed Tonn's family during the services at Adventure Christian Church.

"We are grateful to share part of Kevin's life. We would take away the pain if we could," Bowen said.

K-9 units from across California came to Roseville to be at the funeral, but Yaro, the German shepherd who was Tonn's partner, was allowed into the church sanctuary.

Jarett Tonn, a detective with the Galt department, told the mourners that his cousin "loved being a cop and even that might be an understatement."

Before he was hired in Galt 3 ½ years ago, Kevin Tonn was a military police officer and a firefighter in New York state.

The Foothills K9 Association, an organization that works with police dogs active and retired, said it is accepting donations for Yaro's future care.